School Chief: Little Good News In Ridge Budget Quakertown Superintendent George Taylor Says The Governor's Spending Plan Decreases Funding And Does Not Take Into Account Growth In Districts' Enrollments.

February 09, 1996|by KEITH HERBERT, The Morning Call

Gov. Tom Ridge should go back to the drawing board as far as his proposed budget is concerned, according to Quakertown Area School District Superintendent George Taylor.

Ridge unveiled a 1996-97 state budget Tuesday that freezes basic education funding to local school districts. The state funding makes up a quarter to a third of some school district budgets.

Growing school districts will face raising taxes or cutting programs, Taylor said last night during a school board meeting.

"In fact, it really represents a (funding) decrease," Taylor said. "In districts like Quakertown, we've grown by 89 students since last year."

"One of the criticisms with this budget is that it's based on no growth in the economy," Taylor said.

The governor's plan halves funding for special education. Taylor said the new formula would set an arbitrary figure for aid rather than basing it on student need.

"There's very little good news," Taylor said.

The little good news there is comes in the form of $33 million in technology funding for local districts. The money is supposed to help schools access the Internet with computers.

The superintendent said he met with staff members of legislative committees on education. Everyone expects a battle over education funding, Taylor said.

"There's a sentiment in both parties that they'll take a look at this," he said.

In other business, the board approved the resignation of Kristine J. Rosenberger-Hable, a former teacher accused of providing alcohol to students on a field trip. The social studies teacher resigned rather than appeal a suspension, which would have meant a hearing before the school board.

Rosenberger-Hable has been on unpaid leave since March. She was accused of giving champagne, beer and mixed drinks to 12 gifted students while at an academic competition in February of last year. Five students who made the trip to Duke University were given five-day suspensions.